INDIANAPOLIS — Jay L. Hess, MD, PhD, MHSA, dean of Indiana University School of Medicine and IU's executive vice president for university clinical affairs, will be stepping down from his leadership roles in July 2026, after more than a decade of transformative service.
Appointed in 2013, Hess will become one of the longest-serving medical school deans in the country. His tenure has been marked by bold initiatives that elevated IU School of Medicine's stature in education, research and clinical care. He shared his decision in a message to colleagues, noting that with key milestones achieved — including reaccreditation by the Liaison Committee on Medical Education (LCME), the launch of the IU Health Unified Medical Group, and the opening of the new 326,000-square-foot Medical Education and Research Building — this is the right time to begin a transition.
"It has been a privilege and the high point of my career to serve this institution and to work alongside so many talented, dedicated and inspiring people," said Hess. "I am proud of what we've accomplished and am deeply grateful for the community who made that possible."
During his tenure, Hess has helped drive progress and made meaningful contributions including:
- Recruited 26 new department chairs and a number of center and institute directors
- Significantly increased alignment and collaboration with IU Health
- Increased School of Medicine total research funding by $300 million to over $500 million annually
- Raised NIH funding from $97 million to over $250 million, moving national rank from 42 to 29
- Expanded medical school class by 30% and increased number of residency positions 25% statewide
- Launched the Precision Health Initiative
- Secured National Cancer Institute "comprehensive" status for the IU Melvin and Bren Simon Cancer Center in 2019
- Established the Brown Center for Immunotherapy, the Vera Bradley Center for Breast Cancer Research and the Indiana Center for Musculoskeletal Health
- Launched the Engineering in Medicine Initiative with Purdue University
- Raised more than $1.7 billion for the IU Bicentennial Campaign (including $548 million in gifts and $1.2 billion in foundation grants)
- Upgraded School of Medicine facilities statewide, including new education buildings in West Lafayette, Evansville, and Bloomington and new research and education buildings in Indianapolis
"Jay Hess has been a visionary leader whose dedication to academic excellence and collaboration with IU Health has created a legacy that will benefit Indiana for generations," said Pamela Whitten, president of Indiana University. "We are deeply grateful for his service and commitment."
Hess also helped steer the institution through the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic. Appointed by former IU President Michael McRobbie to lead the university's COVID response committee, he led efforts to develop and coordinate policies across campuses. When vaccines became available, Hess joined a small group of IU medical students administering the shots across the state — demonstrating his belief in leading from the front lines. In 2021, he was awarded the IU President's Medal by McRobbie, the highest honor the university’s president can bestow.
Hess is widely recognized for his collaborative style and for fostering a culture of innovation. He helped deepen IU's strategic alignment with IU Health and championed the creation of the Precision Health Initiative, IU's first Grand Challenge, which has led to groundbreaking discoveries in genomics and cancer therapy.
"I've worked with nine deans in my career, and Jay stands out among them for his collaborative spirit, his practical problem solving, his ability to recruit and retain the best medical talent in the country, and his unimpeachable character," said IU Health President and CEO Dennis Murphy. "IU Health and the IU School of Medicine are able to move the needle on our state's health more effectively when we work together to do hard things, and Dean Hess has been a great partner in that effort."
A national search for the School of Medicine's next dean will be launched in August.
About the Indiana University School of Medicine
The IU School of Medicine is the largest medical school in the U.S. and is annually ranked among the top medical schools in the nation by U.S. News & World Report. The school offers high-quality medical education, access to leading medical research and rich campus life in nine Indiana cities, including rural and urban locations consistently recognized for livability. According to the Blue Ridge Institute for Medical Research, the IU School of Medicine ranks No. 13 in 2024 National Institutes of Health funding among all public medical schools in the country.
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